White Bean Potato Soup

This soup is packed full. Packed full of flavor, packed full of vegetables and good stuff, and therefore packed full of nutrients. Did I mention it’s also vegan? Because it is, at least if you don’t sprinkle any of that wonderful cheese over the soup at the end.

While I love beans, and I love potatoes, and just about everything else in this soup, I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was. It is so full of flavor and so satisfying, and I didn’t even have any wine on hand to add!

This soup boasts, besides beans and potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, kale, with a hint of rosemary, spice, and white wine to tie it all together.

While the main soup season might be coming to an end, I decided to finally post this recipe because

1. during these crazy coronavirus times it seems everyone and their brother are baking bread up the wazoo and revving their sourdough starters, at least judging by social media and the shortage of flours and yeast in the stores…and this soup pairs wonderfully with some good homebaked bread!!

2. this soup has many ingredients, but most are pantry staples which makes this ideal to whip up for dinner without having to go to the store. Even if you’re missing one or two things, this soup is so flavorful you can easily swap out vegetables or omit one with a still tasty result.

3. many of these ingredients are also cheap, which means you get a hardy meal for just a few dollars, which is helpful in these uncertain financial times

4. we’ve had an unusually cold few nights and days for April here in Florence, which made me think of this soup..

5. soups are so easy, and recipes like this are rewarding for my friends who may be deciding to expand their cooking skills with all the newfound time on their hands.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe slightly adapted from Clever Eats

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White Bean Potato Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 stalk of celery, diced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 15oz / 400g cans of white beans, drained (any kind, such as cannellini or navy)

• 2 potatoes, cut into small chunks

• 1 Tbsp / 16g tomato paste

• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh

• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

• 1/2 cup / 119g white wine, or more broth or water

• 7oz / 200g fresh or frozen spinach or kale, lightly chopped

• 2 cups / 474g vegetable broth

• salt and pepper, to taste

• extra virgin olive oil and parmesan or pecorino cheese, for finishing

Directions:

1. In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionaly, until onion begins to turn translucent.

2. Add the garlic, then add the beans, potatoes, tomato paste, rosemary, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently.

3. Add the wine and stir until it is almost evaporated.

4. Add kale, broth, and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Raise heat and bring soup to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

6. Ladle soup into serving bowls, top with parmesan or pecorino cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with warm, crusty bread. Buon appetito!

Jenny’s Notes:

• If you prefer to cook dry beans instead of using canned, as I do, a good rule of thumb is to take half the weight of called for canned beans and cook that amount of dry beans. Different dry beans absorb slightly different amounts of water, but generally speaking they double in weight when cooked. So if you need 800g as in this recipe, I would cook 400g of dry beans.

• You can choose to peel your potatoes before chopping or leave skin on, either way is fine if you ask me! Leaving skin on is easier and more nutritious (more fiber!), just be sure to wash them well before using.

• If you have a rosemary plant, you can also add a clean sprig straight to the soup, then remove when you are ready to serve the soup.

• In a pinch, you can always just use water instead of broth, although you will lose some flavor depth. If you have any bouillon cubes, you can also dissolve those into the soup following the bouillon dosing instructions.

white bean soup, potatoes, kale, spinach, vegan, healthy, vegetarian, carrots, white wine, spinach, celery, onion, garlic

Soup, Dinner

American

Yield: 4-6

Author: Jennyblogs

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White Bean Potato Soup

A hearty and nutritious soup bursting with flavor, featuring white beans, potato, kale, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery with a touch of rosemary and a splash of white wine.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 15oz / 400g cans of white beans, drained (any kind, such as cannellini or navy)
• 2 potatoes, cut into small chunks
• 1 Tbsp / 16g tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 1/2 cup / 119g white wine, or more broth or water
• 7oz / 200g fresh or frozen spinach or kale, lightly chopped
• 2 cups / 474g vegetable broth
• salt and pepper, to taste
• extra virgin olive oil and parmesan or pecorino cheese, for finishing

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot and cook, stirring occasionaly, until onion begins to turn translucent.
2. Add the garlic, then add the beans, potatoes, tomato paste, rosemary, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently.
3. Add the wine and stir until it is almost evaporated.
4. Add kale, broth, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Raise heat and bring soup to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
6. Ladle soup into serving bowls, top with parmesan or pecorino cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with warm, crusty bread. Buon appetito!

Notes

If you prefer to cook dry beans instead of using canned, as I do, a good rule of thumb is to take half the weight of called for canned beans and cook that amount of dry beans. Different dry beans absorb slightly different amounts of water, but generally speaking they double in weight when cooked. So if you need 800g as in this recipe, I would cook 400g of dry beans. You can choose to peel your potatoes before chopping or leave skin on, either way is fine if you ask me! Leaving skin on is easier and more nutritious (more fiber!), just be sure to wash them well before using. If you have a rosemary plant, you can also add a clean sprig straight to the soup, then remove when you are ready to serve the soup.In a pinch, you can always just use water instead of broth, although you will lose some flavor depth. If you have any bouillon cubes, you can also dissolve those into the soup following the bouillon dosing instructions.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

426.89

Fat

8.57

Sat. Fat

1.21

Carbs

65.80

Fiber

14.44

Net carbs

51.36

Sugar

5.02

Protein

20.23

Sodium

542.01

Cholesterol

1.07

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 4 servings and includes using wine and toppings.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2020/4/4/white-bean-potato-soup

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jenevamorris on instagram and hashtag it jennyblogs

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Caprese Risotto

You know risotto, right? That creamy Italian rice dish, usually cooked with a splash of wine? And you also know Caprese salad, the traditional Italian salad consisting of just tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil? (I gave you a nice preface to today’s recipe by sharing the recipe for Insalata Caprese Tradizionale last month on the blog.) Do you know what happens when you combine these two ideas into one dish?

You get a delicious creamy, rice dish with flavors of tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil! Risotto is usually a pretty hearty, comforting dish, better for cooler months, but this one has delicate summer flavors so you can have a risotto for every season. Because It’s mid September, my family back home in Michigan has been wearing jackets and pants for weeks, meanwhile it’s still in the mid 30’sC / 90’sF here in Florence. I’m dreaming of cooler weather, breaking out the sweaters and cozy socks, lighting candles, and making hearty chilis, soups, and everything pumpkin spice and nice. And risotto. So I compromise with a taste of summer, the remnants of summer Italian produce, and a comforting cooler month recipe.

This Caprese Risotto is a bit of a mix between Italian and American cuisines. It’s a risotto and involves all the ingredients from Caprese, but that doesn’t necessarily make it Italian. It’s one of those dishes stuck in the in between, and that’s ok. If it’s anything, it’s American. And I thought I should let you know that, so I don’t give you the false impression that I’m giving you some nonna’s recipe passed down for generations. Nope, this is me being American, taking one thing and combining it with another to create something that doesn’t fall into any category really. That’s one of my pet peeves actually, when I see recipes labeled Italian this or Tuscan that…just because something has oregano, basil, sun-dried tomatoes, or parmesan, does not make it Italian. Especially if it’s a meat, usually chicken is what I see, mixed with pasta. That’s a big no-no in Italy. Pasta is a primo piatto, or first course, and chicken and proteins are always a secondo piatto. You will also never find chicken on pizza. Or pineapple. This doesn’t mean to say you can’t do these things, of course you can, but just keep in mind that it is not Italian. After that, call it as you wish. Oh, and hand me a nice slice of pizza with pineapple, ya? Thanks.

Back to this summery risotto. When I first was making this I wanted to make sure the tomato flavor was closer to a fresh, sun-ripened tomato as it would be for Caprese, and not pungent and salty/sweet like we associate with a lot of canned tomato soups. I love tomato soup, just not the flavor that I was going for here. By using fresh tomatoes and getting saltiness from just the low-sodium broth, this turned out quite nicely. Add the creamy, pull-apart cheesiness from the mozzarella and the sweet, nutty basil, you’ve got a winner summer dinner! If you like, although not traditional to the Italian Caprese salad, add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar at the end. This dish isn’t traditional, so I feel ok about adding it. ;)

Bonus, this dish is also effortlessly gluten-free.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

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Caprese Risotto

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 6 cups / 1,422g low-sodium vegetable broth

• 2 Tbsp / 28g olive oil

• 1/2 onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 1/2 cups / 278g arborio rice, uncooked

• 1/2 cup / 119g white wine, optional

• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

• 1 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, or 1/2 tsp dried

• about 16 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

• 1/2 cup / 50g grated parmigiano reggiano

• 200g fresh mozzarella, sliced into chunks

• extra virgin olive oil, more cherry tomatoes, basil leaves for garnishing, and balsamic vinegar if desired

Directions:

1. Heat broth in a pan over low heat.

2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and simmer for a few minutes, until starting to turn translucent.

3. Add garlic and rice, stirring occasionally, until rice is toasted and just starting to turn translucent on the edges; about 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the wine slowly, stirring all the while, until mostly absorbed by the rice.

5. Add all of the tomatoes, stir until heated through.

6. Begin adding heated broth to the rice mixture, 1/2 cup / 119g at a time, stirring and allowing broth to be mostly absorbed before adding the next bit. As you near the end of the broth, start checking the rice every minute or two. When it looks cooked and is al dente when tasted, remove from heat. You may not need all the broth, but make sure it’s not too dry or thick. You’ll want to pull it from the heat when it still looks a bit soupy, as it will continue to cook and absorb liquid. (Thick, moundable risotto is a technically overcooked risotto. It should lazily settle back into the plate if you try and mound it.)

7. Add oregano, basil, parmigiano, and mozzarella. Stir until parmigiano is melted and mozzarella is stringy.

8. Spoon risotto into plates, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves. Drizzle with a bit of balsamic, if desired. Serve immediately.

Jenny’s Notes:

• In a pinch you can use a 14.5oz / 411g can of diced tomatoes instead of the 3 medium tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes will always be better but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!

• If using wine, try using a dry white wine, nothing too aged or overpowering, as this is a risotto with more delicate, summery flavors. Think Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, a young Riesling, etc. Whichever wine you use in your cooking should ideally be served with the meal. Because of this, it is mistaken to use the “cheap” wines in cooking and then bring out the nice stuff for the meal. Remember, you’re cooking out (most of) the alcohol, not the flavor.

  In fact, because of the delicate flavors of this risotto I don’t add wine, but it’s up to you if you do! Wine is traditional in risotto so you may think me odd that I don’t add it. :)

• If you have only bouillon cubes or normal-sodium broth on hand, you can substitute part water for the broth to keep the sodium levels down. I recommend using 4 cups / 948g worth of broth/bouillon broth and 2 cups / 474g water.

• Using heated broth speeds up the cooking time so you’re not waiting for the broth to simmer and be absorbed between each addition. I have, however, made risotto many a time before I learned this trick, and although it takes a bit longer to cook when adding cold or room temp broth, it won’t in any way ruin your risotto.

• Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese) is another ingredient typically used in risotto. It’s not used in caprese but it lends a cheesy hand to the mozzarella which is quite mild.

• Another idea I’m drooling over right now, would be to add a nice portion of burrata on top of the plated risotto right before serving. Burrata is very similar to mozzarella, except it’s softer. It usually comes in round form, and the moment you cut into it the super soft, creamy center oozes out. Oh yes. Oh yes please.

  If you don’t live in Italy chances are burrata and even fresh mozzarella will cost you, so you may opt for one or the other in this recipe. If your budget allows, go for both!! Here in Italy fresh mozzarella can be found easily for 2-3euro a pound.

gluten-free caprese, risotto, rice, tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese, parmigiano reggiano, burrata, Italian recipe, oregano, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white wine, which wine to use in risotto

dinner, vegetarian

Italian, American

Yield: 4-6 servings

Author: Jennyblogs

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Caprese Risotto

Creamy risotto playing off the classic Italian summer dish of caprese; tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, parmesan cheese and a hint of oregano.

prep time: 45 Mcook time: total time: 45 M

ingredients:

• 6 cups / 1,422g low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 Tbsp / 28g olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups / 278g arborio rice, uncooked
• 1/2 cup / 119g white wine, optional
• 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh oregano, or 1/2 tsp dried
• about 16 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
• 1/2 cup / 50g grated parmigiano reggiano
• 200g fresh mozzarella, sliced into chunks
• extra virgin olive oil, more cherry tomatoes, basil leaves for garnishing, and balsamic vinegar if desired

instructions:

How to cook Caprese Risotto

1. Heat broth in a pan over low heat.
2. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and simmer for a few minutes, until starting to turn translucent.
3. Add garlic and rice, stirring occasionally, until rice is toasted and just starting to turn translucent on the edges; about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the wine slowly, stirring all the while, until mostly absorbed by the rice.
5. Add all of the tomatoes, stir until heated through.
6. Begin adding heated broth to the rice mixture, 1/2 cup / 119g at a time, stirring and allowing the broth to be mostly absorbed before adding the next bit. Keep an eye on the rice; when it starts to look cooked and is al dente when tasted, remove from the heat. You may or may not need all the broth, but make sure it’s not too dry or thick. You’ll want to pull it from the heat when it still looks a bit soupy, as it will continue to cook and absorb liquid. (A thick, moundable risotto is a technically overcooked risotto. A correctly cooked risotto should lazily settle back into the plate if you try and mound it.)
7. Add oregano, basil, parmigiano, and mozzarella. Stir until parmigiano is melted and mozzarella is stringy.
8. Spoon risotto into plates, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves. Drizzle with a bit of balsamic, if desired. Serve immediately.

NOTES:

In a pinch you can use a 14.5oz / 411g can of diced tomatoes instead of the 3 medium tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes will always be better but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do! If using wine, try using a light white wine, nothing too aged or overpowering, as this is a risotto with more delicate, summery flavors. Think Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, a young Riesling, etc. Whichever wine you use in your cooking should ideally be served with the meal. Because of this, it is mistaken to use the “cheap” wines in cooking and then bring out the nice stuff for the meal. Remember, you’re cooking out (most of) the alcohol, not the flavor. In fact, because of the delicate flavors of this risotto I don’t add wine, but it’s up to you if you do! Wine is traditional in risotto so you may think me odd that I don’t add it. :) If you have only bouillon cubes or normal-sodium broth on hand, you can substitute part water for the broth to keep the sodium levels down. I recommend using 4 cups / 948g worth of broth/bouillon broth and 2 cups / 474g water. Using heated broth speeds up the cooking time so you’re not waiting for the broth to simmer and be absorbed between each addition. I have, however, made risotto many a time before I learned this trick, and although it takes a bit longer to cook when adding cold or room temp broth, it won’t in any way ruin your risotto. Another idea would be to add a nice portion of burrata on top of the plated risotto right before serving. Burrata is very similar to mozzarella, except it’s softer. It usually comes in round form, and the moment you cut into it the super soft, creamy center oozes out.

Calories

423.93

Fat (grams)

21.69

Sat. Fat (grams)

8.54

Carbs (grams)

36.34

Fiber (grams)

2.31

Net carbs

34.03

Sugar (grams)

7.25

Protein (grams)

16.20

Sodium (milligrams)

714.71

Cholesterol (grams)

42.80

Nutritional information is approximate and based on 4 servings.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2019/8/29/caprese-risotto

Created using The Recipes Generator

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Burgundy Chocolate Cherry Cookies

September 24 feels like a very significant day.  You know, one of those days where you feel like it's someone's birthday (well, that's always true, even if you don't know them), a holiday, or something significant happened for you on that day.  But, I have nothing.  Except, this day last year my friend Hannah and I got off our first and hopefully last overnight train in Europe...terror....nope, not that.  Oh, it's the third day of autumn.  OH YEAH.  That's significant, we'll roll with that.  If you still have a nagging feeling like you're forgetting something, best wish everyone you meet a happy birthday, just in case...

...and make these Burgundy Chocolate Cherry Cookies so it really didn't look like you forgot....worst case scenario it's no one's birthday and you have to eat them yourself...

...actually, it's always a good idea to have cookies on hand, whatever the occasion, if even just to say "Happy September 24!" Especially these ones. 

Let me list some reasons for you.  Wine, chocolate, very chocolate, cherries, super chocolatey, and very chocolatey.  In fact, the batter is so chocolatey it makes the semi-sweet chocolate chips look like light milk chocolate.  But they are not.  So chocolatey. 

Go make them. And Happy Birthday.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

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Burgundy Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups / 240g all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup / 75g cocoa powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup / 56g oil

• 3/4 cup / 150g sugar

• 3/4 cup / 150g brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup / 118g burgundy red wine

• 12 oz / 340g bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 1 cup / 120g dried cherries

Directions:

Oven 375°F / 190°C. Have ready one or two ungreased baking sheets.

1. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

2. In another large bowl combine oil, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla.  Carefully stir in wine.  Stir in dry ingredients until fully incorporated, then add chocolate chips and cherries.  Dough will be soft, but shouldn't be too soupy.  If it is, add a touch more flour.

3. Spoon little mounds onto a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes, until edges look set but center still looks wet.  Allow to cool for several minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack or counter to cool completely.

Pairs wonderfully with...the remainder of the bottle of wine you used to make these...

Jenny's Notes:

• Feel free to use any kind of red wine you like for these!  I have used the an Italian red, Savini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva with great success, and the cookies in the photos I used a French red, Côtes du Rhône.  I chose to call these Burgundy because of the Burgundy wine region, which I think would be lovely in these, (the wine, not the region) and saying "Burgundy Cookies" is a whole lot easier than "Côtes du Rhône Cookies," no?  And, red (wine) plus brown (chocolate) makes burgundy.  Yes.  Maybe. Some other good wines would a pinot noir, cabernet, or merlot.

Double chocolate cherry cookies, dried tart cherries, double chocolate chip cookies, Burgundy cookies, wine, red wine

dessert, cookies

American

Yield: 36 small cookies

Author: Jennyblogs

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Burgundy Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Double chocolate chip cookies made with a splash of red wine and tart dried cherries.

Prep time: 25 MCook time: 8 MTotal time: 33 M

Ingredients:

• 2 cups / 240g all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup / 75g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup / 56g oil
• 3/4 cup / 150g sugar
• 3/4 cup / 150g brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup / 118g burgundy red wine
• 12 oz / 340g bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup / 120g dried cherries

Instructions:

1. Oven 375°F / 190°C. Have ready one or two ungreased baking sheets.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
3. In another large bowl combine oil, sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Carefully stir in wine. Stir in dry ingredients until fully incorporated, then add chocolate chips and cherries. Dough will be soft, but shouldn't be too soupy. If it is, add a touch more flour.
4. Spoon little mounds onto a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes, until edges look set but center still looks wet. Allow to cool for several minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack or counter to cool completely.
5. Pairs wonderfully with...the remainder of the bottle of wine you used to make these...

Notes:

Feel free to use any kind of red wine you like for these! I have used the an Italian red, Savini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva with great success, and the cookies in the photos I used a French red, Côtes du Rhône. I chose to call these Burgundy because of the Burgundy wine region, which I think would be lovely in these, (the wine, not the region) and saying "Burgundy Cookies" is a whole lot easier than "Côtes du Rhône Cookies," no? And, red (wine) plus brown (chocolate) makes burgundy. Yes. Maybe. Some other good wines would a pinot noir, cabernet, or merlot.

Calories

140.06

Fat (grams)

4.82

Sat. Fat (grams)

1.84

Carbs (grams)

23.42

Fiber (grams)

1.24

Net carbs

22.18

Sugar (grams)

15.64

Protein (grams)

1.73

Sodium (milligrams)

104.48

Cholesterol (grams)

5.17

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 1 cookie.

https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2016/9/24/burgundy-chocolate-cherry-cookies

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @jenevamorris on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs

Created using The Recipes Generator

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July Newsletter

Buon Agosto/Happy August! 

July was a good month.  A hot month.  And so much has happened!  Here are some snippets:

Say hello to my little friend, Cornetto con Nutella. McKayla's calling it like it is.

June 27th Rachel moved back home.  At the end of June Rachel and her parents departed and moved all of her stuff back to the States.  Goodbyes are never fun.  But we made a fun night of her last night here, going out to a secret bakery at 3 am (bakeries that open only during the night and make the morning bake for some caffes, and if you know where to find them they will sell you piping hot cornetti, croissants, or sometimes donuts with your choice of jam, chocolate, creme, or Nutella filling, for only 1 euro each!), then stayed up until 5 am when they took a taxi to the airport. 

Then proceeded the long process of cleaning and organizing the apartment, and going through all of the items left by previous tenants.  I got to inherit some good household stuff, so that will help for when I move into my long-term apartment in October! (Dishes, silverware, and bedding? Yes please! 4 purses, numerous pillows, and a shelf of random medication? No thanks!)

Beth and Cyndie from Mississippi came for a week on July 14th.  They are friends of Paul and Melinda, and they were here here during the perfect time to help us prepare for the Gallery Opening!

July 20th I moved out of Iacopo Nardi and into the Hand's second apartment. Sniff sniff.  Paul and Melinda have 2 apartments right next door to each other, one for them and one for their 2 college-age daughters, Baleigh and McKayla, when they stay during the summers and holidays.  Paul and Melinda are kind enough to let me stay in their girls' apartment for the next two months until I go home for Jeffrey and Rachel's wedding in October.  Paul and I made numerous trips moving my stuff and all the Gallery 4 equipment that had been stored at Iacopo Nardi.  Said goodbye to the gorgeous views from Iacopo Nardi's terrace, see below.

Bailey Shoemaker arrived July 19th and is visiting Gallery 4.  Bailey is a graphic design artist, recent seminary graduate, and friend of Paul and Melinda who is staying in the girls' apartment also.  We had a very cozy week with 4 girls in a technically 1 bedroom apartment before Baleigh and McKayla left to head back to college.  Bailey and I got to share a trundle bed that first week, we got to be close friends fast. (Literally, hahaha) She's very cool.

See that knob on the left? Yes. I'll have to adjust my recipes to say, "turn your oven on to two bars..."

July 22nd we had our first Gallery Opening!  Amongst all the packing up and moving, we were getting ready for our first gallery opening.  I volunteered to bake mini brownies, cookies, and mini cupcakes...that was a bit ambitious of me in the midst of moving apartments and having no idea what the oven or baking conditions would be in my new living space!  What was the first thing I unpacked? Not clothes, not a toothbrush, not my computer, but baking pans.  I managed to fit in some baking and prep while still in Iacopo Nardi, where although not an ideal baking space, still familiar and comfortable!  Ovens, baking ware, and kitchens are like people, you have to get to know them and their personalities.  Little did I know that the oven in my new apartment has no numerical temperature gauge.  Just a dial and your best guess.  Porca Miseria, if I didn't love you so much, Italia, I would be shaking my fists in the air.  So that was an entertaining ordeal trying to figure how far to turn the dial to get an approximate 350 Fahrenheit.  My poor cupcakes were not amused and they let me know.  The oven and I are getting on better terms, but let's just say we still give each other the wary eye.  Hahaha.

Artwork by Jerrod Partridge

The Gallery opening went over very well!  The Russian Art Academy let us use their dance studio to exhibit the art.  We had a turnout of around 40 people, which we were pleasantly surprised and thankful for!  Being in the heat of the summer, July and August are prime times for everyone to leave and head on holidays and to the sea, so we really didn't know if we should even expect anybody to show up, but we went forward trusting the Lord would bring people, and He did!  We had refreshments and beverages and people got to mingle and talk with us and the artist, Jerrod Partridge.  At 8:00 Paul spoke with the help of our translator, Natalie, sharing what Gallery 4 is about, the vision, the Gospel, and introduced Jerrod, who also spoke.  I danced a short piece, and afterwards people got to mingle and eat some more, and ask questions!  It was a success.  The next two nights the Gallery was open for anyone who wanted to come and view the art or purchase it.  We had good feedback from people, and some who wanted to know more about the Gospel and ask questions!  For more pictures go to media. 

Baleigh (Hand), Melinda, Paul, and I in Montefioralle, Chianti, Italia

Baleigh and McKayla Hand left July 26th.  It was sad to see two friends leave, but nice to have more space in the apartment.  After the gallery opening things calmed back down and I could start re-settling in, unpack the necessities, and recoup after a crazy week.  

And all the other things:

Getting to meet new friends and catch up with old ones, and see my Mosaico church family!  I've started helping out in Sunday School, it's such a fascinatingly international church with people from the States, Italy, Australia, Canada, England, and all over. 

Language learning is still a part of the everyday routine.  Melinda, Bailey, and I have all started meeting with tandem language partners, where you meet with someone and "exchange" languages.  It's very helpful, forces me to speak and get over the embarrassment factor, and listen and comprehend, which is hardest for me.  We also use books for studying, I try and always think to myself in Italian, listen to and sing along with Italian music, and eavesdrop on any and all conversations I can get my ears on.  My brain is constantly fatigued, but it is so fun and I enjoy it so much...most days.  Some days I just want to curl into a ball and wish and pray myself into being fluent.  Or receive the gift of tongues.  Whichever. 

The battle of finding a gallery space of our very own is still being fought.  Paul is on the hunt and has looked at every space he can find.  Between our budget, finding a space large enough, in a decent neighborhood and with a room big enough to teach ballet, the pickings are slim.  Not to mention the spaces we have found and liked and bid on, even getting as far as about to sign the contracts, something has always gone wrong, changed, or fallen through.  It's discouraging to say the least, but I can only hope that it is the Lord's sovereign design keeping us from getting any less than what He has for His purposes here.  It is all a very complicated process, some spaces needed to be re-zoned and/or have bathrooms and showers added to be up to code for a dance studio, all ac units replaced, and other things costing several thousand euros or more.  We have had a "commercialista" (business consultant) and an architect aside from our realtor helping us try and figure out the bureaucracy of things.  Not everything here is sipping Chianti wine while eating pasta in the rolling hills of Tuscany with only the worry of where are you going to get gas for your vespa.

I now have my official paperwork from the Russian Art Academy to be able to apply for a student visa when I return to Michigan in September!  The good news is that it was relatively simple to obtain, the bad news is that it cost more than I was expecting with commission fees.  

Prayer:

• That I would be able to find an apartment for my two roommates and I for when we arrive back in October. August is upon us, which also means everyone is going on vacation and I am having a hard time getting a hold of anyone at the immobiliare (real estate).

• That the Lord would provide a Gallery Space. We have been looking long and hard, please pray for direction and encouragement and tranquillity while we wait on the Lord to show the way.

• Praise! The Gallery Opening helped make very clear the intentions of Gallery 4, and more people are asking questions about what we are doing, are excited for the vision of using the arts to share the Gospel, and are asking questions about the Gospel!

• Praise! I was able to buy my round-trip ticket from Traverse City to Florence for when I head back in October. And it was a very reasonable price! A round-trip ticket is another "document" I will need to show to the Italian consulate when I apply for my visa.

• And always for the people, our friends and everyone we come into contact with, for their hearts, and for the love of Christ to be made known!

Thanks for reading, thanks for praying, thanks for supporting, it's a privilege to partner with you to pursue Christ and His Kingdom in Florence, Italy!